SWINDON Town’s new signing Jonathan Obika may only be 23 but he feels like he has gained vast experience from the series of loan spells he undertook while at Tottenham Hotspur.

Obika has been at seven different club across 11 loan periods but has now found himself a permanent home at the County Ground.

One of the loan spells the mobile striker had was at Swindon in the second half of the 2010/11 season. He only played in five games before a change of manager cut his stay short but the overall impression he left at the time was not entirely positive.

Obika is now ready to demonstrate the promise that saw Tottenham keep him on their books for so long with some positive performances for Swindon.

“You learn a lot as a player. I came here when I was quite young and I feel you mature as a player,” he said.

“I’ve gone on a lot of loans, I don’t necessarily think it was a bad thing. You learn a lot from different characters and it’s got me to this point.

“I’ve always wanted a permanent (move). I feel good and glad that the gaffer was interested in me and got the deal done.

“I feel what really made me come here was the gaffer’s philosophy. I spoke to players like Yaser (Kasim) and they speak so highly of him, so I became like a fan really. I watched the Brighton game. What the Brighton manager Sami Hyppia said about them is just a testament to what they’ve been doing.”

Obika has now joined the ever-growing list of former Spurs players at County Ground, along with Kasim, Massimo Luongo, Nathan Byrne, Jake Reeves and Jack Barthram. Though Obika’s loans have also acquainted him with a few other of Town’s squad members, which make him feel his second spell at the club will be more positive.

“It’s not only people that I’ve played with at Spurs but I’ve been on loan with Wardy (Darren Ward), (Michael) Smithy at Charlton and Yeovil with Willo (Andy Williams), so it’s been very comfortable and they’ve all welcomed me,” he added.

“Football changes quickly. You always have to learn from your past and hope to improve.

“That’s a memory of the past (the 2011 loan). You grow and learn, I’m just looking forward to cracking on now.

“That’s how football is, it changes quickly, you always have to learn from your past and hope to improve.

“I’m someone who’s committed. This is my home now. Because of my commitment you will see the quality and I love goals.”